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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Talking Book

Stevie Wonder

1972

Talking Book
Album Summary

Talking Book is the fifteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on October 28, 1972, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. This album and Music of My Mind, released earlier the same year, are generally considered to mark the start of Wonder's "classic period". The sound of the album is sharply defined by Wonder's use of keyboards and synthesizers. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard Top LPs chart and finished at number three on Billboard's year-end chart for 1973. "Superstition" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles charts, and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" hit number one on the Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts. Talking Book earned Wonder his first Grammy Award, with "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" winning Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 16th Grammy Awards; "Superstition" also won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. Often included in lists of the greatest albums of all time, Talking Book was voted number 322 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000), and Rolling Stone ranked it number 59 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.71

Votes

18125

Genres

  • Funk
  • Soul

Reviews

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Aug 31 2021
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3

IMO Stevie is at his best when he does the funky soul numbers. Superstition is one of his most iconic songs, with killer guitar hooks and I love his funky snarling voice. But this album is marred by syrupy maudlin commercial tracks meant to sell records such as You are the sunshine, You and I, Looking for another pure love, and I believe. Yuck. If it had more Superstition it would be a 4 but the dreck pulls it down unfortunately

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Nov 12 2021
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5

This is an actual classic album. Stevie Wonder in his imperial period. It is hard to over-praise this record.

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Jul 14 2021
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3

Lovely relaxed vocals but the lyrics are too sickly sweet for my tastes and a bit repetitive. Superstition is amazing. Stevie Wonder's real name is Stevland Morris. 3/5

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May 07 2021
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5

Arguably Stevie Wonder's best album, although I prefer "Innervisions" and "Songs in the Key of Life." Inarguably among one of the 1001 greatest albums of all time. "Maybe Your Baby" is an electro jam that feels contemporary in 2021. "Superstition" is an unskippable track for all people and all times.

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Feb 22 2021
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5

I went down the rabbit hole with Stevie Wonder after listening to this.... he has so many more catchy hits than I realized, many that have been covered so many times..... my favorite will always be 'Don't you worry 'bout a thing' but my newest discovery rivals my favorite - - 'Pastime paradise'; I'd never listened to the original, only the cover - Gangster's paradise

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May 21 2021
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4

For every bit of magic on this album, there's something a little powderpuff about much of the rest of the material. I know we are all supposed to consider Stevie Wonder a genius, but Innervisions aside I'm not sure he's ever hit that kind of consistency. The funk-soul equivalent to Iron Maiden, then; stellar moments and a hogshead of filler

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Jul 29 2021
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2

One of my all time favourite songs on this album - Superstition. So was looking forward to this, but i am sorry this song couldnot carry the rest of the album. It mostly sounded like lounge music to me. 2 Stars

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Sep 09 2021
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1

This is the album that has "Superstition" on it, the rest of the album is pretty forgettable electronic keyboard and sleepy soulless blabbering. Songs just boring and don't go anywhere, like an essay written to pad length.

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Dec 02 2023
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5

this is one of my favourite albums of all time! a smile came to my face when i saw this was our next album to listen to ! every song unfolds so well together one after another! literally every single song is perfect !!! 5/5

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Aug 29 2023
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5

nuh uh. how can this guy be blind. theres no way. now i have no excuse to be shit at anything. im not even blind, only slightly fat. fav songs: youre the sunshine of my life, maybe your baby, youve got it bad girl, blame it on the sun, i believe.

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Oct 23 2021
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4

Typical Stevie Wonder album, Some of the best music ever and some of the most self indulgent crap on the same disk. Loved some of it but hated that I didn't love it all.

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Jan 30 2021
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4

I love me some Stevie, and seeing him on this list will likely surprise no one. I think I actually own this record, but hadn't listened to it before today. I own and have listened to Songs in the Key of Life, and Hotter Than July, the latter of which I bought in a head shop in Macomb along with a book on how propaganda was making men's fashion more feminine (I threw away the book, still have the record). Anyway, based on my limited experience with his discography, Stevie's music is super consistent, and a joy. When I go back to hosting game nights again, I will be sure to dust off my copy of Talking Book. My personal enjoyment: 4/5 Did it belong on this list: 5/5

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Oct 09 2021
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4

Undoubtedly a genius, sometimes his tracks are just too cheesy. However, when he wants to get funky then his squelching synths and cry baby bass is amazing. Best Tracks: Maybe Your Baby; Tuesday Heartbreak; Superstition

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Oct 14 2021
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3

An album of two halves. The well known tracks are some of Stevie's best. The album tracks are a bit bland and dull, frankly. However, any record with a song as strong as I Believe can't be all bad, right? For me, Innervisions is a better record for the cohesion and clarity of purpose.

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Sep 17 2020
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5

Absolutely outstanding and unique view of Stevie’s music. Not being super familiar with his work outside of any of the hits, this really helped me appreciate a bit more of the work that I guess was not considered as “commercial” at the time.

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Nov 17 2021
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2

Not a fan of soul/R&B and the cheesy schmaltz of the opening track ‘you are the sunshine of my life’ was a terrible start. Sorry Stevie, not for me

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Aug 14 2024
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5

Talking Book 5 star banger. Never noticed the sobbing sounds around 1.47 of You are the Sunshine of my Life when he sings ‘lonely’. Great opening track, love the laid back melody, rightfully a classic. Always loved Maybe Your Baby, the tension that the intro and verse build before the relatively subdued chorus is fantastic. I love the Theremin sounding synth on You and I, and the song itself is great, one of his best ballads I think. And I love the whole atmosphere of Tuesday Heartbreak. I don’t know what I’m talking about but it feels like he’s singing slightly behind the beat, giving it an lovely unhurried swing. Love You’ve Got it Bad Girl, not sure why it but it always sounded like California to me. Superstition. Can’t really say anything that’s not been said, but I’d recommend the One Song podcast in this song, the stems from the drums are amazing. Big Brother is another sunny sounding song to me even though it’s quite a bleak lyric, but I love the melody and harpsichord style synth. Blame it on the Sun is probably my least favourite song on the album, but it’s still a very good 70s Stevie ballad. Lookin For Another Pure Love on the other hand is great, one I didn’t appreciate when I first heard the album but now I love. And then I Believe, which is just an utterly joyous and fantastic love song, one of my absolute favourite Stevie songs. Obviously it can’t be anything but a 5, even if a couple of songs don’t quite reach the heights of the others as a whole album it’s one of the greatest ever. 📖📖📖📖📖 Playlist submission: I Believe (When I Fall In Love it Will Be Forever)

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Feb 19 2024
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5

When I bought this on CD it was from the "low price oldies" section - for context, that's equivalent in time to buying the first Kayne album today, christ! Lots of interesting synth sounds and squelchy Moog bass (all played by Stevie) decorate some excellent tunes; these are outrageously experimental given how poppy they sound. I love the funky numbers and the sappy ones equally. It's not quite Innervisions, but that's not really a criticism

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Nov 15 2021
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5

Super funky, enjoyed this one more then I expected.

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Nov 09 2021
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5

Great album. I've been listening to it for years. Not new to me.

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Oct 29 2021
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5

Absolutely brilliant. A masterpiece companion to Innervisions (all recorded pretty much in one go).

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Oct 10 2021
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5

Timeless Stevie Wonder album, no comments needed

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Oct 10 2021
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5

Wonderful album from start to finish.

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Aug 31 2021
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5

The best record of his career, and a monster of an album with chart hits and influential songs spilling out all over the place. I have always loved this record. I still do.

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Aug 31 2021
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5

The two songs opening each side are excellent and very well known hits. For me, Superstition is his best song.  Ray Parker will always be better known for his Ghostbusters song but his  guitar on Maybe Your Baby is top shelf and really works well with the funkiness. Stevie delivers the electric piano and clavinet that makes Tuesday Heartbreak. I've never heard those instruments deliver a cool and funky vibe like this. Stevie's vocals on You and I might be his best on the LP. Jeff Beck's guitar on Looking for Another . . . is also quite good as one would expect from Jeff. I didn't know Stevie for his political songs. Big Brother is quite good and the words "You've killed all our Leaders" are particularly poignant given this album was made less than 5 years after  Martin Luther King and Bobby  Kennedy were murdered.  Different songs on this LP have very different features that make them soar. They are all good songs for very different reasons. An album that pulls this off meets my definition of a 5. As an afterthought, it's a great picture on the cover. 

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Jun 07 2021
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5

Beautiful album. It’s like a love-child of funk and country but raised by classical. It’s soft and gentle but also thoughtful. Stevie Wonder has a perfect voice and he also has poignant lyrics. This album delivers pretty heavy stuff like love and heartbreak and rebirth and belief and faith but it’s done so lite and breezy. Stevie Wonder is a genius. Top tracks You are the sunshine of my life Big brother You and I Tuesday Heartbreak Iconic track Superstition

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Jun 07 2021
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5

The album starts with calming chords and a soft groove. Then the groove heats up and stays strong. Each song has unique instruments and melodies that keep this a very interesting album all the way through.

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May 25 2021
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5

The one..the.only...Stevie Wonder

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Jun 25 2021
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5

5/5 - Always loved this album; Hell yeah, Stevie

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Mar 10 2021
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5

Amazing songwriting and arranging of the music.

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Apr 08 2021
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5

Not the only 5 star album, but this is top class.

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May 20 2021
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5

Awesome! Can't believe I didn't discover him earlier

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Jan 26 2021
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5

This album is amazing! I can't believe how great Stevie Wonder's music is. What a genius. I can see all the influences he's had on musicians.

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Feb 09 2021
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5

I've been busy so I had to go back to this one. Really loved it stevie wonder is great

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Feb 07 2021
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5

I'm familiar with some of his more famous songs because Stevie Wonder is, well, iconic to say the least but never actually listened to a full album by him. Lemme just say I'm kicking myself for missing out and this Aussie gives Talking Book five lamingtons out of five.

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Mar 02 2021
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5

Amazing album. It's so easy to overlook Stevie Wonder sometimes, but this album is always worth coming back to.

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Jan 21 2021
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5

Fantastic!! Now we are getting somewhere. The keys, the funk, and Stevie's wonderful voice.

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Jan 12 2021
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5

all the famous songs here are impeccable gems

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Jul 31 2024
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4

For me, Stevie Wonder is at his best when he’s funky. The ballads don’t really do a whole lot for me, even though I think they are well produced and usually are pretty gorgeous instrumentally. It’s the funk, though…that sweet, elastic funkiness with the synthetic bass and clavinet. It’s so good. Stevie Wonder is a musical genius. [wipes nose] (That’s a reference that like 4 people will get.)

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Mar 12 2024
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4

Стиви Уандер - это наш кротяра

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Feb 19 2024
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4

Much of this is unsurpassable. Superstition sits next to Sweet Jane in having a riff that I can conceive continuing forever. There’s schmaltz on here, by my own measure, where the music is not great enough to sublimate lyrical sentimentality. Lookin’ For Another Pure Love is schmaltz; I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) is majestic.

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Sep 15 2024
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3

"Superstition" is great, unfortunately canceled out by "Maybe Your Baby." High highs and low lows aside, I didn't love it.

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Jul 18 2024
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3

he kinda sound like steve lacy, he kinda look like him in the cover too, steve lacy stole stevie's whole flow. good album. 3.5

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Nov 20 2021
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3

Superstition is an all time great song. Shame the rest of the album sounds nothing like it. Not bad, just gives you a glimpse of some of his best work for one song and the rest is mid.

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Apr 06 2024
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2

Loveeee Superstition so went in expecting to love this hyped up album but a little disappointed by the rest of it! vocals are great and relaxed but a lot of it just feels very shmaltzy sentimental and kitchy… this is more about personal preference I’m sure but the overly soppy love stuff just got samey and boring to me, overall not a bad album by any means great voice and some songs but as a whole expected this to wow me far more

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Jan 29 2024
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2

How did I already get another Stevie Wonder album from such an exhaustive list? This one was too slow and cheesy for me, should've been called Blabbering Book. Superstition is good but not enough to carry the rest of the setlist. Maybe alright for chillin' in a lounge but not my cup of tea (too much honey).

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Jan 29 2024
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1

I'm not sure what they hype about this album is. Stevie slowed it down way too much through the vast majority of this. Superstition is miles ahead of anything else on the album. The rest of this is completely skippable.

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Apr 18 2025
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5

I knew some of the songs a but most I had not heard before, definitely a nice chill listen and the auto-recommends after were great as well (listened on Spotify).

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Apr 16 2025
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5

Some of my favorite songs are on this album. You are the sunshine. I believe. You and I

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Apr 15 2025
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5

Such a great album - from such a great artist. Soulful, funky but inspiring.

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Apr 14 2025
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5

Everything that ever needs to be said about this album, and about Stevie in the 70s, has already been said.

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Apr 09 2025
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5

I struggled with whether this merited four or five stars. Stevie Wonder is a musical genius, but I don't have all of his albums. I did listen to the first episode of the NYT podcast series "The Wonder of Stevie," which I found to be a bit overblown and performative. Not Stevie's fault, however. And sometimes it's hard to forget his middling early 80s output (looking at you, "I Just Called to Say I Love You"). Having said that, this album is a pleasure. Lots of stylistic variety among the songs and, while this is an album of its time, Stevie succeeds in transcending the cliches of the early to mid-70s. And how many songs, really, are better than "Superstition," which I could easily listen to on repeat for hours at full blast on my headphones? If that song were the total of Stevie's legacy, the mark he left would still be impressive.

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Apr 05 2025
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5

I knew it was going to be a good day when I was assigned this album. Perfect for the sunshine out today. Groovy, electric, soulful. Getting me right from the first track “You Are The Sunshine of My Life”. What a surprise to get to the middle of the album and recognize “Superstition”. Amazing funky track. Been enjoying the album in its entirety along the way. The ending track resonates with me a lot. His voice is undeniable. Also reading that this album involved a lot of artistic freedom makes me respect the production even more. Definitely an album I’ll keep coming back to.

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Apr 05 2025
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5

Really can't go wrong with some Stevie, not quite at the peak of Innervisions or Songs...but still full of funky soulful tunes.

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Apr 01 2025
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5

Oh yeah. You already know I know. It’s a classic. Good one.

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Mar 29 2025
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5

Very soulful, and nicely-produced.

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Mar 29 2025
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5

The album cover had me expecting a different vibe. Stevie is incredibly talented, and really enjoyed this album. Funky, groovy, and def worthy of being on this 1001 album list. Enjoyed the classic hits from this album still being played at almost every good corner bar, at least on Bourbon Street.

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Mar 29 2025
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5

Incredibly diverse and well put together album. 5.0/5.0: Iconic

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Mar 29 2025
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5

another great album by stevie made even more impressive by fact that he played the majority of the musical parts. the songwriting is solid but the ballads do detract from the funky vibe brought by the use of the moog bass. still an incredibly well crafted album

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Mar 27 2025
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5

Så velproduceret og afbalanceret og flere af hans bedste sange. Endnu en 5/5 banger fra Stevies vanvittige 1972-1976 run

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Mar 24 2025
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5

Wow. Such depth, i can see how it was so influential on later people (tyler). Want to relisten immediately. The love songs are not nauseating (confident?)

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Mar 22 2025
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5

- 5 just for "Superstition" ..... but shit, "Maybe Your Baby" and "Big Brother" are right up there as well. -

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Mar 12 2025
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5

Amazing. Listened to it twice in a row. So many tracks have that instantly familiar feel - you’d think they were singles, only they weren’t. Standout tracks: Maybe Your Baby, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever).

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Mar 11 2025
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5

Damn, I’ve listened to this one be4

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Mar 10 2025
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5

I love me some Stevie. He is one of my fave vocalists, and this album doesn’t disappoint on that front.

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Mar 10 2025
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5

Contains 'Superstition'. What more do you want?

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Mar 04 2025
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5

You know you've broken thru when the first two lead vocals you hear are not the main guy’s: Jim Gilstrap and Lani Groves speak this masterpiece into existence, and from there 'perfection is perfected,' as Snoop'd put it. Not only does Stevie give us flawlessly produced tracks - songs that have no choice but to occupy our collective unconscious - but he has us thinking about the weirdness of language too, like who the 'it' is in this line: 'Will it say the love you feel for me, will it say?' One of his requests: 'Catch your baby, catch up with my dreams.' We're still 'catching up' w/ Stevie's visions, inner or outer; his genius isn't a superstition, but a mere fact of life. And if his complex melodies 'keep me in a daydream,' there I'll gladly stay.

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Feb 28 2025
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5

Lovely, nice to hear other songs of his.

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Feb 26 2025
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5

While this album’s predecessor Music of My Mind is a classic record and Stevie’s best up to that point in his career, I think Stevie levels up exponentially further on Talking Book. Truly the stuff of musical legend, its a trend that wouldn’t let up until the end of the decade. From the moment it starts, Talking Book greets us with a warm and enveloping futuristic r&b flavor. You Are the Sunshine of My Life is one of Stevie’s most touching and most lively love songs. Great chords, great chorus. A real mission statement for a guy trying to tackle the world with nothing but a musical genius’s IQ and sincerity without a punchline. To counter the sunshine, track 2 Maybe Your Baby sheds light on the more dour days of relationships (“In the morning when I’ve got a heartache, I can’t call up the doctor for help. Cause the only person that could ever do me any good is steppin out with my best friend”). It also happens to be one of the funkiest damn tracks Stevie ever put to tape. You And I is another impressive and extraterrestrial sounding ballad that reaches a passionate climax. A testament to the earnestness and purity behind Stevie’s writing and performances at their very best. Blame It On The Sun is another underrated ballad-ish piece from Stevie’s classic era. Speaking of underrated, Big Brother is one of the most scathing and overlooked politically charged soul songs ever. Talking Book wouldn’t be complete without it. Superstition, his signature track to many, starts with a stomping Stevie drum groove that gives way to a 5-layer clavinet cocoon. Instantly recognizable, innately catchy, and features a horn arrangement that absolutely burns. I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) is nothing short of a masterpiece as well a triumphant and majestic closing to the journey in search of love Stevie finds himself on over the course of Talking Book. We are greeted by a wave of instrumentation that feels like an ominous sky which you can’t figure out if the sun is setting or rising. We’re awoken to a particularly catching drone not directly in the middle of the mix. This song is loaded with brilliant sounds and beautifully crafted instrumental work, but for me, it is this synthy drone that tells the most story by saying the least. It’s a deep, chest-filling and sordid sound coming from what I believe to be the TONTO. It guides us through Stevie’s sorrowful uncertainty during the entire verse, but by the time the chorus arrives, that drone rapidly switches gears and starts gleefully floating around the mix like a speck of fairy dust or an orb caught on a paranormal investigator’s night watch camera reel. Listen closely for that your next time around. So much feel and storytelling expressed with one sound. Stevleland’s approach to this sonic experience is akin to a frequency a film director might choose to include which subliminally nauseates the audience during a particularly unsettling scene of cinema. I Believe just might be Stevie’s Irréversible in terms of sonic text painting. Stevie’s 70’s catalog will change your life for the better. And this is only the beginning. 5 stars, 9.5/10

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Feb 25 2025
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5

This album was like sunshine in your ears from the opening track. Superstition is superb. Also liked Blame it on the sunshine and I believe.

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Feb 25 2025
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5

Really pleased thar Stevie Wonder has come up, have been listening to a lot of his music recently. There's a lot to like about this album. To begin with it has Superstition on it - the greatest ever motown single? It has some great funk, maybe your baby, with sublime guitar playing from Jeff Beck. An album that needs to be listened to more than once. 5 stars all the way.

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Feb 24 2025
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5

God is love, love is blind, Stevie Wonder is blind, therefore Stevie Wonder is God? As far as music goes, he is.

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Feb 22 2025
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5

One of my favorite albums. This is my brother's favorite too. You've got it bad girl is a true gem.

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Feb 17 2025
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5

It's Stevie Wonder. Of course it's amazing.

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